Magnifying glass suggestions

I found a B&L 5,7,9,21X loupe on eBay for $32 shipped. Descent choice?


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Look more. They come in original box a few dollars cheaper. I may need to buy one to try as I can always give it away.

The lens on each piece looks small which will cut down on the light. Remember this, the smaller and more powerful the lens, the closer you'll need to get your eye and the lens to the coin. That lets less light in. You need light to see anything!

 

Lots of different kinds, from the Sherlock Holmes basic, to expensive computer types.
For coins shows, your best bet is probably a rotating monacle that snaps onto your glasses, and rotates down for use, up when not. Nothing to carry in your pocket, both hands free.
At home, a mid-priced endoscope, that attaches to your PC. It has very high magnification capabilities, is easy to use, and can be easily focused on any area. You can even take pics with your PC, and use your PC's monitor, so no need to purchase a separate one.
They also make them like at your dentists. A big lens with a halogen bulb circling it, which is on a flexible neck. Problems with these though, is they are fairly expensive, have low magnification, and are hard to focus on a small area.

 

I used, and still have two copies of the Eschenbach 3x6x9x and it's a stellar performer with two, not three lenses. They're certainly nowhere near as cheap as the Chinese junk many seem to be drawn to, but if one cherishes their eyes, the added expense is insignificant and money well spent.

That said, if one will be viewing coins on the fly (as opposed to sitting at their own desk or the like), I would certainly recommend the aforementioned Eschenbach (the exact model number escapes me at the moment), but for strictly home use there may be better options.

 

I've personally never had a hard time with this - I have a crookneck lamp that I can adjust to exactly the spot I like it. It works for me. Others may have a different setup they prefer. I use a 10x.

And that's why I say a lot of the choice in a loupe is personal preference. Experimenting with loupes at a show is the best way to figure out what you like, and then you can tailor your home office to exactly your preferred conditions.

The key, however, is consistency - always try to use the same magnifier and the same lighting conditions whenever possible. Professional graders always have exactly the same light and loupe, so they can take the variance out of their grading. Collectors should do the same.

 

This has been my choice for many years. The best thing I ever did for my eyes. They sell for over $100 today but you have to pay for quality optics.